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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: branch · row · stem · track · deal · firm · suit · arm

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. firm — decided
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. row — a line
  5. track — a path
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. firm — steady
  9. branch — a division
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. track — to keep track
  12. firm — a company
  13. deal — to handle
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. row — to paddle
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. stem — to come from
  21. track — a song
  22. suit — clothes
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. suit — in cards

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com